2n = 42

n = 21

Rhizomatous, in bright green, very leafy patches (1) -2-6- (12) cm high. Inflorescence of 1- (2) spikelets partly hidden by bract. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut 1-2 mm long, trigonous, white or grey.

Rhizomatous, forming large, turfy patches, bright green above, fuscous towards the base. Rhizome c. 0.5 mm. diam. Culms 2–5–(7) cm. × c. 0.5 mm., rigid. Lvs up to 6 per culm, us. > culms, c. 0.5 mm. wide, or often setaceous and filiform, coriac., curved; sheaths with truncate orifice, pale brown and membr., often streaked with red, rarely entirely dark red-purple. Infl. apparently lateral, of 1–(2) narrow-oblong spikelets, (1)–2–3–(4) × (0.5)–1–1.5–(2) mm., partly hidden by the enlarged base of a subtending bract up to 5 times length of spikelet. Glumes 1.5–2.5 mm. long, lanceolate, acute, deciduous, green to pale grey-brown with reddish marks, to deep red-purple, margins tapered and often pinched in at the tip below the green, thickened, ± excurrent keel. Hypog. bristles 0. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut 1–2 mm. long, slightly > 0.5 mm. wide, almost = glume, elliptical, ± trigonous with rounded angles, almost white to yellowish, or grey- to red-brown, smooth and shining but very finely reticulate, tapering towards the apiculate black tip.